Nestled at the end of a long flag lot driveway in Amagansett, NY, a young couple purchased the property with intentions to construct a second home for their growing family. A home that would not only be comfortable for the immediate family but also serve and grow on busy summer weekends to accommodate extended family, friends, children and guests. The tight lot along with the sizable program culminated in the building envelope being pushed to every limit, restriction and regulation one could imagine. The resulting architecture possesses a traditional Hamptons cottage exterior juxtaposed with modern elements that help break up the single mass. Centered on the entry façade is a large double story window that shrouds the floating switchback staircase on the interior. A bluestone patio wraps three sides of the home, which, in the rear, leads to a small in ground pool with a frameless glass railing. In the interior, custom white washed white oak floors run throughout the home as well as on the floating central staircase. For a more modern style of living, the open living, kitchen and dining area serve as one large entertaining space. In an area surrounded by sprawling Mcmansions, this tightly knit home functions more similar to that of a large NYC apartment by serving the perfect balance between maximized form with the right amount of function given the strict parameters. Large glass sliders open the living and dining rooms to the backyard patio and pool creating harmony between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Shaker style cabinets in the kitchen pair with a more contemporary staircase softened by the warmer wood tones of the vertical slats that surround it.

Nestled at the end of a long flag lot driveway in Amagansett, NY, a young couple purchased the property with intentions to construct a second home for their growing family. A home that would not only be comfortable for the immediate family but also serve and grow on busy summer weekends to accommodate extended family, friends, children and guests. The tight lot along with the sizable program culminated in the building envelope being pushed to every limit, restriction and regulation one could imagine. The resulting architecture possesses a traditional Hamptons cottage exterior juxtaposed with modern elements that help break up the single mass. Centered on the entry façade is a large double story window that shrouds the floating switchback staircase on the interior. A bluestone patio wraps three sides of the home, which, in the rear, leads to a small in ground pool with a frameless glass railing. In the interior, custom white washed white oak floors run throughout the home as well as on the floating central staircase. For a more modern style of living, the open living, kitchen and dining area serve as one large entertaining space. In an area surrounded by sprawling Mcmansions, this tightly knit home functions more similar to that of a large NYC apartment by serving the perfect balance between maximized form with the right amount of function given the strict parameters. Large glass sliders open the living and dining rooms to the backyard patio and pool creating harmony between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Shaker style cabinets in the kitchen pair with a more contemporary staircase softened by the warmer wood tones of the vertical slats that surround it.

Nestled at the end of a long flag lot driveway in Amagansett, NY, a young couple purchased the property with intentions to construct a second home for their growing family. A home that would not only be comfortable for the immediate family but also serve and grow on busy summer weekends to accommodate extended family, friends, children and guests. The tight lot along with the sizable program culminated in the building envelope being pushed to every limit, restriction and regulation one could imagine. The resulting architecture possesses a traditional Hamptons cottage exterior juxtaposed with modern elements that help break up the single mass. Centered on the entry façade is a large double story window that shrouds the floating switchback staircase on the interior. A bluestone patio wraps three sides of the home, which, in the rear, leads to a small in ground pool with a frameless glass railing. In the interior, custom white washed white oak floors run throughout the home as well as on the floating central staircase. For a more modern style of living, the open living, kitchen and dining area serve as one large entertaining space. In an area surrounded by sprawling Mcmansions, this tightly knit home functions more similar to that of a large NYC apartment by serving the perfect balance between maximized form with the right amount of function given the strict parameters. Large glass sliders open the living and dining rooms to the backyard patio and pool creating harmony between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Shaker style cabinets in the kitchen pair with a more contemporary staircase softened by the warmer wood tones of the vertical slats that surround it.

James Golden's Federal Twist garden. Photo by Jay Sifford.

This is an example of a large traditional full sun backyard gravel formal garden in Los Angeles for summer.

Bouteloua curtipendula / sideoats grass New York Botanical Garden Photo: Kristine Paulus, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-2.0 Generic

This is an example of a mediterranean landscaping in Los Angeles.

There are lots of great alternatives to traditional sod. This is Kurapia, which you can walk and play on like a traditional lawn, even mow, yet it needs very little water, grows slowly and is a breeze to maintain. It also doesn't brown with furry friends. It does bloom in the spring and was developed at UC Davis.

Photo by Jay Sifford.

This large expanse of lawn needed a major make over. Designer added many color full water wise shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennials. Took out 85% of existing lawn and added a new patio, steps, garden with grow boxes and strategic screens too. Designed for maximum enjoyment and preserving/enhancing their views while saving much water and maintenance. Rick Laughlin, APLD

Cabbage
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional partial sun backyard mulch vegetable garden landscape in Denver for spring.

Courtesy Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder White Prairie Clover / Dalea candida

The front entry of the home. Karley Rose fountain grass grows in masses with groundcovers beginning to fill in.
This is an example of an eclectic landscaping in Denver.

This lower section of the client's garden connects with a backyard fence. Before it was a sloping mass of dirt and weeds. This is what the transformation looks like 8 weeks after installation. Over the next couple years it will fill in the empty spaces to become full of color and texture with a walking trail right down the middle.

Path was created from flagstone pavers that were set in decomposed granite

Susan Teare
Photo of a large traditional partial sun backyard garden path in Burlington for summer.

This weatherboard home was being given a facelift and our client wanted a minimal and modernist style garden to reflect the feel of the home. A large garage was removed from the rear garden which provided opportunity to create new outdoor spaces such as a paved entertaining area and a new stretch of lawn. Existing garden beds were given new life with plant species selected to provide a range of textures, colours and scent. The random slate paving is a standout feature of this garden and the attention to detail by landscaper Oliver Stone has truly brought our design to life.

This weatherboard home was being given a facelift and our client wanted a minimal and modernist style garden to reflect the feel of the home. A large garage was removed from the rear garden which provided opportunity to create new outdoor spaces such as a paved entertaining area and a new stretch of lawn. Existing garden beds were given new life with plant species selected to provide a range of textures, colours and scent. The random slate paving is a standout feature of this garden and the attention to detail by landscaper Oliver Stone has truly brought our design to life.

Jackie Meiring
Small trendy green one-story exterior home photo in Auckland